02 October 2008

FINLAND - HARMAJA

Harmaja is an island and a lighthouse outside Helsinki, south of the Suomenlinna sea forteress. The island has been functioning as a landmark since the 16th century. A landmark structure was built on the island in the 18th century and a light house in 1883. The first lighthouse was only 7.3 m high and it soon proved to be too low. In 1900 the height was doubled by creating a rectangular brick building on a granite base. A large misthorn alerted ships in fog and in bad visibility. Harmaja received the world's first directed and undirected radiobeacon in 1936. The lighthouse is fully automated today.
There is also a pilot station on the island.